


stay home, stay connected

by forsekais



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M, Romance, Swimmer Oh Sehun, bff to bf sekai that's my weakness, quarantine fic, the quarantine au that only I ask for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:27:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23783893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forsekais/pseuds/forsekais
Summary: Ten years later, they meet again during quarantine time.
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 27
Kudos: 890





	stay home, stay connected

☁ 

"You should have seen London," Chanyeol says the moment he picks up Sehun's call. "Store shelves are empty. Even peanut butter is sold out. I've been making my own hand sanitizer from rubbing alcohol. It's a global pandemic. At least you're home."

Threes days ago, South Korea started imposing travel restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Sehun managed to catch the last flight home per his mother's request, and as a citizen, he has the option to undergo self-quarantine at his own residence instead of at a government-designated facility. Chanyeol wasn't that fortunate, as all international flights from Heathrow to Incheon had been sold out and Chanyeol is stuck in London for what should be at least another month or two.

Three days ago, Sehun still thought he has the luck on his side. He hasn't had any quality time off in years, too occupied with training and competitions around the world. For the first time probably since they met, Sehun's coach agrees with him that he could use a break by traveling back home. The Tokyo Olympics would be postponed until 2021, and while it means Sehun's body would feel the effects of another year older when the time comes (read: stricter practice regimen required), his coach and everyone on the team understand that this decision is necessary to keep people safe. For Sehun, he's excited at the thought of being spoiled rotten by his mother and her amazing homecooked dishes while laying on his bed and playing video games all day. He expected coming back to a warm meal and a cup of chocolate bubble tea from his favorite shop. He surely didn't expect his mother's apartment complex being put under lockdown due to an unexpected outbreak at one of the six blocks.

"So you'll be staying at your childhood home? Is it bad?"

"It's a very quiet neighborhood about an hour away from city center," Sehun says, looking at an address on the piece of paper his mother gave to him through a healthcare staff because she isn't allowed to step out of the complex. "I haven't been there since my brother and I moved to Hongdae. I'm surprised that my mother still keeps the place."

"Childhood home is a special place. Maybe she wants to keep the memories," Chanyeol hums. "Don't sulk. It'll be fun. The next thing you know you'll reunite with your first love. What do they say? Old flame, new spark."

"Aren't you my first love?"

"Nu-uh. Wrong. I am your first booty call," Chanyeol snorts. "Wait. You were the booty. I am your first booty respondent. Seriously, what were we thinking back then?"

Chanyeol and Sehun met when they were seventeen at their first Olympics and instantly hit it off. Nevertheless, the thrill died down as quickly as it began. They broke up on mutual agreement, realizing they'd be better off as friends and it turned out to be the smartest decision Sehun's ever made. Chanyeol is his bestest friend ( _'one of his bestest friends'_ , as Junmyeon would correct) and he would never trade this beautiful friendship for the world.

"Probably one of our many teenage mistakes," Sehun replies. "Hold on. That should be you. I didn't make many mistakes. I only made one and it's dating you."

"Okay then, drama queen, if it makes your quarantined ass feel better," Chanyeol laughs. "Hey, what about that kid you used to play soccer with? The one who bought you strawberry ice cream because you was a crybaby who refused to accept that touching the ball with your hand is a foul?"

It was a very long time ago. Sehun was not a crybaby, he just thought that people shouldn't be bound by _rules_. Also no one told him that _accidentally_ touching the ball with his forearm is considered a foul, or that by _"hand"_ they mean every part of the arm below the armpit. Why was the self-proclaimed referee so hell-bent on FIFA regulations when all he had were five kids kicking a ball around? It was not even a real team.

"I doubt he's still living there. You have no idea how boring the neighborhood was. We had, like, five houses surrounded by empty lands. Unless he's a hermit, I think he'd move away as soon as he got the chance," Sehun shrugs. The taxi driver makes a left turn. "I think I'm almost there. I'll text you later?"

"Sure," Chanyeol chirps. "Don't forget to follow my TikTok channel. New video at 4 PM every day. We should do a home workout collab."

Sehun rolls his eyes. "I'll think about it," he says and hangs up before Chanyeol can begin his elevator pitch. TikTok is dumb. Sehun will not succumb to Chanyeol's inane ideas out of boredom. He has standards.

☁

"What do you think?" Sehun drums his fingers on the coffee table. "A prison-style upper body workout. We use Zoom and film it as if we're physically working out together. But we're in different locations. You know, like the Half&Half project?"

"I know what you mean. I was thinking of a full-body for starters but upper body is great too. We can try your idea first and see how the video looks like," Chanyeol grabs a pen and scribbles down a few notes. "What made you change your mind? Yesterday you hung up on me before I could start pitching and now you're calling me at midnight to discuss a collab?"

"It's important to focus on what we can control during this crisis, like our fitness," Sehun says. "I'm doing what I can to help the community."

"Dude, are you quoting Arnold Schwarzenegger's Reddit speech?"

"I am," Sehun shrugs noncommitally. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

☁

In fact, everything is wrong.

First, Sehun makes a wrong assumption. He doesn't realize it until he actually presses the door bell of his own childhood house. When no one answers after a few minutes, Sehun snaps out of his memory-induced reverie and fumbles for his key. He's still digging through a hundred things that he never bothers to take out of his bag when suddenly the door is open from the inside, nearly knocking him down the front porch steps. Sehun takes a moment to thank himself for having such amazing physical balance when a voice catches his attention.

"I'm sorry, oh my god, are you okay? I didn't know — actually I think Mrs Shim told me about someone arriving today. I just forgot. I swear I'm not a thief. Mrs Oh asks Mrs Shim to take care of this house but she broke her arm yesterday while trying to rescue her cat from a tree so I'm helping her out. I swear."

Sehun scowls on reflex and lifts his head up to tell whoever's speaking to shut up. Probably some unemployed teenage nutjob who takes all weird jobs to earn extra cash so that they can finally buy that new PS4 console. Sehun takes a deep breath. Coach always says he needs to at least look friendlier. Public image and stuff.

When he's done with his little breathing exercise, Sehun steps away from where the door has been blocking his vision and finds The Most Stunning View Ever, one that puts Chanyeol's apartment overlooking Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster to shame, in the form of a half-naked guy who has flawless caramel skin and ultra soft warm brown hair and a jaw so sharp it could cut Sehun in half. His sweaty abs are shining a shade brighter than the sun and Sehun thinks Macmillan should remove their definition of hot and replace it with the guy's name.

"Wow," Sehun says, a little bit choked up. "Wow. I need a moment."

He contemplates calling his mother to file a formal complaint because why does she keep pressuring him to get a boyfriend while there's such a jewel in the neighborhood all this time? All the guys she'd introduced to him are boring and bland like that healthy vegan soup recipe she learnt from her church-goer friend. Sehun feels betrayed.

"Are you okay? Did I hit you somewhere? I'm so sorry. I was cleaning the bathroom. I didn't expect—"

"Yeah. No. I mean, you didn't hit me. I'm cool," What he means is _'I'm good'_. "My mother didn't tell me she asked someone to look after the house so—"

"Your mother? Mrs Oh is your _mother_?" Hot Guy is making a high-pitched squeal that sounds totally out of place with his Adonis appearance. "Sehun? _Oh Sehun_?"

"Uhm, that's me," Sehun says lamely. Okay. That confirms his suspicion: His mother knows Hot Guy but for some reason decides to keep him in the dark and sacrifies her own son to the God Of Terrible Awkward Blind Dates. "Sehun," he repeats. "Nice to meet you."

Hot Guy stares at him for a moment before he starts laughing so hard that his shoulders shake and tears begin to form at the corner of his eyes. The sound of his laugh reverberates off the walls and the more Sehun listens to it, the more familiar he feels. There's only one person with an exuberant laughter like that, and it's been ten years since Sehun last saw him. An avid Chelsea fan, summer tan, and strawberry ice cream.

"Hello," Hot Guy leans back against the door, a dazzling smile dancing on his lips. "I'm Jongin."

☁

"Stop. Can you rewind a little bit?" Chanyeol says. "So you met soccer boy but didn't recognize him at first because he's become so hot. Then you ate dinner together. Sixty pieces of chicken nugget. And then what?"

"Nothing," Sehun answers. He hopes the shitty Internet connection will help cover the subtle disappointment in his voice. "He's here to self-quarantine after his current housemate's girlfriend's friend's cousin was tested positive for the virus."

"That sounds like a long story I don't want to know," Chanyeol comments. "Anyway, what does this Jongin guy have to do with our collab?"

"Nothing. These are two separate things," Sehun says. "Completely unrelated."

Jongin has been over the moon when he learns that Sehun is close with Chanyeol, the star forward of South Korea's national football team who also plays for Premier League club Arsenal. His eyes light up like a Christmas tree when Sehun mentions how Chanyeol spends all his time on TikTok these days and how he's been trying to drag Sehun into his fatuous antics. "But TikTok is fun. Some videos are really refreshing," Jongin says, then winks at Sehun. "I think a lot of people would die for a video that has both Chanyeol and you."

A few moments after Jongin leaves, Sehun finds himself downloading the TikTok app.

"Right," Chanyeol opens a can of Diet Coke. "What did I tell you? Old flame, new spark. And you, my friend, are burning."

"I hate you," Sehun mutters. "But seriously, Chanyeol, he's fucking hot. How could it happen? My last memory with him was at an ice cream parlor. He had crooked teeth and wore his sister's purple sweater. This must be sorcery."

"It's called puberty," Chanyeol snorts. "We'd all been through that phase. You had crimped hair and wore eyeliner when I first met you."

"Your long hair needs the insult back," Sehun says mildly. "Urgh, is it possible to get a red card for being hot?"

"What?"

"Just thinking about what would happen if Jongin continued to play professional soccer."

"Your pick-up lines are boring," Chanyeol says. "You need more practice."

"Like what?"

"Can you be Zidane tonight? Because I want some head."

"Chanyeol, that's just mean."

☁

Jongin is not only infuriatingly handsome, he is also a kind soul and a decent cook.

On the second day of quarantine, he knocks on Sehun's door at 8 in the morning and when Sehun invites him in for coffee, he stares at Sehun's unlimited supply of ramen, cereal and candy bars with a look identical to his mother's _"When was the last time you did laundry? 16th century?_ " glare.

"How do you eat all this junk and still have," he makes a gesture at Sehun's body, " _this_?"

"A team of one nagging coach, two accredited sports nutritionists and a chef who always looks like someone shoves a stick up his ass."

"You have your personal chef? That's impressive," Jongin laughs, his eyes crinkling and his head tipping back a little. "But again, that's the least they can offer for our country's golden boy."

Sehun doesn't like that nickname, he prefers something more badass, like The Underwater Superman or Guardian Of The Wind, courtesy of his world record speed. "I guess I really crave for unhealthy food sometimes. It's not fun eating seven meals a day."

"Yeah, you barely survived a day without tteobokki or bubble tea back then," Jongin says. "My sister used to ask about you. Said the bakery wasn't the same without their VIP customer."

Jongin's second sister worked part-time at a bakery fifteen minutes from Sehun's house. She made the best bubble tea he'd probably ever had. Sehun and Jongin often went there after their soccer games, and Jongin's sister would give Sehun extra pearls. Sehun made a note to send her a Christmas card every year, but soon after he moved to Hongdae, he made it to the national team and since then it's been all events and intense elite-level practice. Now Sehun feels guilty.

"Don't worry. She understands," Jongin flashes him a gummy smile. "She read about you. Told me all the times. She went to the Summer Olympics to cheer for you. The one where you won gold for both 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley? She never stopped gushing about that."

To be honest, that Summer Olympics is coincidentally Sehun's favorite competition. He'd met so many worthy opponents there and thoroughly enjoyed the challenges. "What about you?" Sehun blurts out. Great timing, Sehun, great timing. "Do you read about me?"

"Yeah, I like sports," Jongin averts his gaze to look at the floor. "Though getting a chance to see you in the flesh for two weeks is not something I imagine."

"How is it so far?" Sehun smirks. "Better or worse than your expectation?"

"Better," Jongin says. "Much better."

Jongin comes back at noon with an armful of groceries bags. He fills Sehun's fridge with real food, fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, milks and eggs. He makes omurice and they try to catch up with each other during lunch. Sehun learns that Jongin stayed in the neighborhood until he finished high school. He went to college in Seoul and became an elementary school teacher after graduation. With schools closed nationwide, Jongin has quite a lot of time on his hands. He's been looking for things to fill up his schedule. He's doing grocery shopping for the elders in the neighborhood. He visits Mrs Shim every two days to make sure she's recovering from her broken arm. Other than that, he's just staying on his couch.

"I'm wondering if I can keep you company," Jongin suggests in a hopeful tone. "I can cook you real food. We can play video games or watch a movie. Only for a few hours a day, though. Because. Well. Social distancing."

"I'd love that," Sehun wills himself to not blush. "Sure. I can, uhm, wash the dishes. I'm great with speed, you know."

Sehun is also great with being socially awkward, but Jongin doesn't seem to mind. Mostly because Jongin is just as awkward. One afternoon, Sehun catches Jongin not so discreetly checking him out when he's doing burpees and Sehun freaks out when blood starts dripping from Jongin's nose. He immediately rushes to Jongin's side and panics as Jongin's nosebleed intensifies. The collar of Jongin's shirt is turning red and Jongin just stands there motionless like a deer in headlights.

"Jongin, take off your shirt."

"W-what?"

"Take off your damn shirt," Sehun hisses. It takes Jongin three minutes to fidget with the hem of his shirt and by the end of his three minutes, Sehun's patience is running out. He yanks the useless piece of clothing off Jongin's body and pushes Jongin down onto a chair. He grabs a pack of frozen vegetables from the fridge — he'd used up the ice for his pre-workout banana smoothie — covers it in a towel and places it firmly on the bridge of Jongin's nose. Jongin squirms in his seat. Sehun grabs him by the nape of his neck to keep him upright.

"Breathe through your mouth," Sehun commands. "Don't move. Otherwise you can't reduce the pressure in your nose blood vessels."

Ten minutes later, Jongin has stopped bleeding. His eyelashes flutter against Sehun's face when he tilts his head. Their faces are so close that Sehun can look into Jongin's pore. He lets out a strained cough, realizing their accidental compromising position, both half-naked and flush against each other. Suddenly Sehun's underwear begins to fit so unusually tightly.

"Th—thank you," Jongin murmurs. "My nosebleed stops."

"Right," Sehun says. Jongin looks like he wants to continue bleeding until he leaves this world in an attempt to avoid dealing with this tension hanging in the air between them. "You should take a shower. No. I'll do it. I'll shower."

Sehun sprints to the bathroom and shuts the door with what is supposed to be an intimidating, feelings-not-included slam. Under the stream of hot water, Sehun Jr. is judging him hard. Physically and mentally.

☁

On the fifth day of quarantine, Sehun gives up on trying to stop thinking about Jongin's full lips around his dick.

"He's too nice, Chanyeol. He doesn't mind being an ad-hoc delivery boy and he mows Mrs Shim's yard at 3 in the afternoon because it's a fixed schedule set by her late husband twenty years ago. Seriously, who mows the lawn when the heat is at its worst? Do you know what's worse? Jongin has a habit of wearing a crop top while cutting the grass. His belly button is distracting."

"Did you sit on the deck eating cookies with the old lady when Jongin worked his ass off?"

"I was _invited_ ," Sehun scowls. "Do you know Jongin bakes too? We make caramel flan this morning. It's so good I could die."

"Alright, buddy, you should hook up with him," Chanyeol advises. "You sound so smitten my ears hurt."

"Do I?" Sehun asks. He hasn't been paying attention to how bad he sounds, since he's too busy looking at Jongin's taut stomach muscles and jerking off to other Dirty Jongin Thoughts. "Should I tone it down?"

"No, it's fine," Chanyeol says. "The blunter you are, the sooner you get laid."

"Really? Does it work that way?"

"Tone it down, Sehun," Chanyeol does a dramatic eye roll. "Be a gentleman, not a cockslut."

Chanyeol isn't helpful at all when it comes to Sehun's love life. He's a wonderful friend, a great listener and a compatible TikTok partner, but he's a terrible love guru. Chanyeol's idea of romance often clashes with Sehun's. Sehun, who prefers a three-course meal over a bouquet of red roses, usually can't find logic in handwritten love letters and idiotic teenagers getting married on a whim for the purpose of committing mutual suicide that later was mistakenly glorified as love. It's not a love story just because everyone dies. Unfortunately, Romeo & Juliet is Chanyeol's favorite play.

He's not a cockslut if he only fantasizes about Jongin's cock. He feels offended on behalf of stereotypes and mislabeled profession. But perhaps he should tone it down.

"What are you doing?"

"Practicing CDC guidelines of social distancing. Stay at least six feet from other people," Sehun reasons. Jongin blinks at him confusedly. He looks like a lost puppy. Sehun wants to pet him. Or suck his pretty little mouth. Or maybe both.

"You're sitting in front of your restroom," Jongin points out. "I don't think it's a hygienic place to eat dinner."

"I wash my hands," Sehun says, wiggling his germ-free fingers. "I...like it here. It's peaceful."

Basically, any place within a 5-kilometer radius of his home is peaceful because all businesses have been closed down. These days, the only sound can be heard on the streets is the faint screeching noise coming from the rear engine of Jongin's car when he makes stops on his grocery delivery route.

Of course Jongin doesn't buy his excuse. "If you want me to leave, you could just say so."

His heart clenches at the sad expression on Jongin's face. His plump lips curl down in a pout and Sehun wonders if Jongin is indeed a humanized dive set because everything about him leaves Sehun's knees weak. He tightens his hold on his Jjolmyeon bowl.

Jongin pouts even more. Sehun breaks.

"Are you tired?" Jongin looks surprised. Sehun inhales. "Because you've been swimming through my mind all day."

"What? I haven't. The pool is closed. I've been at Mr Lee's to fix a leak in his kitchen—" Jongin stops in the middle of his sentence, looking aghast. "Oh."

He puts down his chopsticks. "Are you flirting with me?"

"Have been for five days," Sehun says. "But thanks for noticing."

"God, you must be the square root of -1," Jongin groans. Sehun has no idea what it means because he always failed Math. He owes his high school and bachelor degree to whoever invented athletic scholarships. "You can't be real."

It takes thirty seconds for Sehun to respond. "Are you flirting back?"

Jongin leans down until their noses touch. Since when did he cross the recommended six feet distance? "Can you have any more of a delayed reaction?" he asks, amused. "How did you become a world record holder?"

In Sehun's defense, swimming 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley is easier because it doesn't involve wild sexual fantasies about glistening abs and kissable lips. He feels most at home in the water, like he was born to do it. He definitely wasn't born to deal with feelings.

"I'm thinking maybe you can tell me," Sehun whispers, and tilts his head upwards. Jongin's lips meet his half way to draw them into a slow, sensual kiss. He can feel Jongin's hand on the back of his head, long fingers ruffling his hair softly as Jongin licks his tongue into Sehun's open mouth, warm and eager.

"You're hard," Jongin says in-between kisses, then grabs Sehun by the waist and rolls them on the ground in a fluid, languid motion until Sehun lands flat on his back with Jongin sprawled over him.

"Yeah, I'm your AP Calculus homework," Sehun breathes out. He slides a hand under Jongin's shirt and savours Jongin's quiet moan. "Bet you're a good student."

Jongin laughs breathlessly. "I always do my homework," he says before shaking his head at his own joke. "That's so lame. I should shut up."

"I can think of a hundred ways to put your pretty mouth to better use," Sehun murmurs, and Jongin proves him right by ripping his shirt buttons free with his perfectly straight teeth. Sehun hopes it's the only thing straight about Jongin.

☁

On the seventh day of quarantine, Sehun thinks he may be a bit more than infatuated.

"I have a dream," Sehun scoots closer until he's breathing into the screen. Thank God it's not a video call. Chanyeol can't judge him without seeing him. "Jongin and I are filling out adoption paper for twenty puppies. He's wearing a ring. On his ring finger."

"Maybe you're still high from the dicklust. You haven't got quality sex in years since we broke it off," Chanyeol says casually. "It doesn't mean anything."

"Chanyeol, I love you, but you're not a sex god. Jongin is." Sehun says. "The point is, I haven't had a domestic-themed dream since," he pauses and shudders at the memory, "since I had a huge crush on Miranda Kerr and that was on my 16th birthday when I still believed I was straight."

"Dreaming is just your brain responding to biochemical changes and electrical impulses that occur during sleep. It's not an acute prediction of what would happen in the future," Chanyeol sighs. "Even if it is, I don't see any problem. Jongin seems nice. Marriage may be too soon but there's nothing wrong with you dating him."

"That is _the problem_!" Sehun grits out. "I can't be dating him."

"You plugged your solution into his equation and now you say you only want fun?" Chanyeol is virtually judging him. "Did you tell him that when he subtracted your clothes and divided his legs?"

"Bad puns don't make you funnier," Sehun interrupts. "What's more important is that I think he's hiding something from me."

"Okay," Chanyeol says. "Enlighten me."

"I think he's lying about his job," Sehun whispers into the speaker. "He doesn't have any picture with his class. It doesn't make any sense. My mother has six albums of me in elementary school and my teacher was in every single shot. If my teacher put together all his pictures with his students he'd have more albums than Super Junior and EXO combined. But Jongin has none. Zero. Null."

"What if he's allergic to cameras? There are people who hates having their picture taken. Kyungsoo is one of them."

"Your boyfriend doesn't hate being photographed. He hates people in general and his dead inside expression is simply his way of disclosing that fact," Sehun corrects. "If he hated being photographed, he wouldn't have become an actor."

"Damn, that explains a lot of things." Chanyeol says. "Wow. You're smart."

"I'd punch you if you were here," Sehun sneers. Does Chanyeol ever think of anything else besides how to score the most insane curve goal from a free kick? He doubts it. "Even if Jongin dislikes being photographed, he should at least keep a few pictures. It's a universal habit of elementary teachers."

"Have you tried looking him up on Facebook? Maybe he's shy to show you pictures of him in embarassing costumes? A lot of things happen in elementary school. My second grade teacher once showed up in a Naruto outfit on my classmate's birthday. It was a request from her parents. Such a traumatized experience."

"Which brings me to my second point. His last Facebook post was six years ago. He doesn't use Instagram or Snapchat either. He says he's not a fan of social media. He only uses Facebook to stay in touch with his friends. It's freaking weird, right? And he still hasn't accepted my friend request," Sehun huffs. "But he likes TikTok? He's never missed any of your TikToks, actually. Your _Ko Ko Bop_ cover is his favorite. He even dances to the song. He's so adorable."

"Can you tell him I really appreciate that?" Chanyeol exclaims happily. "Also let him know I'm open for requests. If there's any song he wants to see me cover—"

"No one cares about your cover," Sehun hisses. "Don't you find it bizarre? Someone who's addicted to TikTok cannot be an anti of social media. He's obviously lying. At least to me."

"What for?" Chanyeol asks, curious. "People with bad intentions usually approach you for money or fame. Jongin clearly doesn't care about your money. He pays for the groceries and buys you new deadlocks. What about fame? Has he mentioned anything about making an appearance together?"

"Quite the opposite," Sehun thinks back to yesterday's morning. Jongin actually panicked when he accidentally showed himself in one of the frames in Sehun's leg workout TikTok. It was two seconds of his back in the background, but Jongin'd begged Sehun to delete the video with such a pitiful look on his face that Sehun immediately agreed without questioning his weird behavior. "He'd rather die than appear in my TikTok. It's like he's hiding from the world — oh my god is he a fugitive? A serial killer on the run?"

"I don't think your mom would let you go back to the neighborhood on your own if there were a public threat like that. She's the most cautious person I've ever known," Chanyeol says, opening a Google tab. "But let's do a quick check. What does Jongin look like?"

"5'11", honey tea brown hair, black eyes, chocolate sunshine abs and a really really cute dimple on his cheek," Sehun says. "A state-of-the-art piece of ass. I left a bite mark there, but I don't think this kind of information is necessary."

"It isn't," Chanyeol winces. "In fact, none of your description is helpful. It's not how law enforcement agencies issue their wanted notice. It's what a whipped bitch would say about his subject of affection. Jesus Christ, you're in so deep."

"You're not helpful!" Sehun glowers at him and angrily ends the call.

☁

"For the thousandth time, Sehun, I didn't kill or help kill anyone." Jongin starts soaping up his hands. He has dishwashing duty today because Sehun volunteers to cook an instant ramen lunch to avoid scrubbing the pots and pans from yesterday's dinner. "Go eat ice cream and stop bothering me."

"Are you sure? I'm friends with the best defense lawyer in South Korea," Sehun says. Jongdae spends too much time talking about his cats and too little time caring about whether Sehun listens but he's good at what he's doing.

"I'm not a criminal." Jongin sighs exasperatedly. "Besides, if you suspect me, shouldn't you alert the police instead?"

That's what normal people do. Sehun doesn't follow the norms. He's special. "You don't look like a bad guy," Sehun says, trying to hold back the ' _You look like someone I'd like to take out on romantic dates and buy a house together with_ '. "If there's something going on, I'd really like to help."

"You shouldn't say soft things like that so easily," Jongin mumbles. "It will only make me like you more."

"More?"

"Yes, more," Jongin turns on the faucet, but the sound of water splattering and gurgling down the drain couldn't drown out the implications. Sehun grins at the sight of Jongin's ear turning red. "Since when did you like me?"

"Since you cried because Baekhyun gave you a red card for your hand ball." So the antagonist's name is Baekhyun. The name sounds vaguely familiar. Chanyeol has an ex with the same name, an obstetrician who lives in Tokyo. Sehun hopes it's not the same person. It'd be unfair if someone that mean can get dicks _and_ see vaginas on a daily basis.

"You like me because of my disinterest in soccer?"

"You don't remember anything, do you?" Jongin snorts. "Damn, this is a nasty case of burned-on cruds. I'm never making casserole again."

"Try baking soda and vinegar," Sehun replies. He remembers. Sehun didn't cry because of the red card. He cried because he couldn't stay on the field longer to give the brat from the other team the kick he deserved for constantly tripping Jongin just because Jongin never failed at his head-shots. Sportsmanship should be about fairness and respect.

"I like you because you stood up to protect me against that corpulent winger although he could very much knock you out with a shoulder flick. You were so brave," Jongin says. "And you looked pretty when you cried."

"Thanks," Sehun says. He looks fabulous doing everything. Those hipster wannabes that wear _'Nobody is perfect'_ slogan jackets probably have never met Sehun.

"That's it? I pour my heart out to you and that's all I get?" Jongin lifts an eyebrow. "No _'I like you too'_ or _'You're beautiful yourself'_?"

"Not yet," Sehun answers, although that's not what he'd said last night when Sehun Jr. was inside Jongin's ass. "I'm not saying it back until you tell me what you actually do for a living."

"This is not Detective Conan," Jongin grimaces. "I told you, I'm just a normal grade school math teacher."

"Are you threatening me?" Sehun yelps. "Because I'm not backing down. Not for you. Not for anyone."

"Such a drama queen," Jongin drawls, and goes back to scrubbing the pots.

☁

Chanyeol starts getting used to unexpected Skype calls at 5 AM. In Seoul, it will be around 1 in the afternoon, right after lunch time and Jongin has to return to grocery delivery duty. "Are you sure he's not a werewolf?"

"No, I filled my kitchen table vase with wolfsbane but he isn't affected by it. We both have silver cutlery in our houses and there's been no problem."

"They sell wolfsbane in your neighborhood? Where is it again? Beacon Hills?"

"I have my connection, chill," Sehun says. "He likes garlic bread, so he's not a vampire either. This whole thing is getting ridiculous. Why can't he tell me what he does?"

"He did. But you didn't believe him?"

"Because he's lying!" Sehun growls. "He could be anything but an elementary math teacher. Listen, Chanyeol, he told me someday he'd write a theorem and win a Nobel Prize so that I could be proud of him as much as he is proud of me."

"That's so sweet I'm gonna have a toothache," Chanyeol sniffs. "He's a keeper."

"Aren't you listening? It's a Fields Medal. They don't have a Nobel Prize for math. He's lying, Chanyeol. And you know how I feel about honesty in a relationship."

"So," Chanyeol says. "Does it mean you're getting serious about him?"

"I can't help it. He's beautiful and kind and funny once you get to know him. He's a precious puppy," Sehun cries. "Why does he have to lie? Lying, the only red flag in my book."

"You've always wanted to meet your prince charming in a coffee shop," Chanyeol amends.

"That's a fantasy, not a red flag. Get your brain to work, Park," Sehun says. "It's not my fault that there are so many gems in the Coffee Shop AU tag." 

"Have you been to Jongin's house?"

"A few times. It's a normal two-story house just like mine. I've checked the basement and all the rooms. There's nothing out of the ordinary, except the—"

"What? Except what?" Chanyeol urges. "Sehun?"

Sehun splutters. "His parents' room. It's locked. He told me his mother got a special kind of lock to honor his late father. It can only be unlocked if his three children gather on the 10th anniversary of his death and crack a code left by him on his death bed."

"And you...buy...that story?"

"It's a heart-wrenching story," Siblings love. Jongin's family raised him well. Unlike Sehun's brother who used Sehun's name for his Playboy magazine order and let the virtuous Sehun take the blame when their mother found out. "It's a sacred place. His father's spirit may still wander in there. I'm not breaking in, if it's what you're suggesting."

"You're no fun," Chanyeol says.

Sehun misses Junmyeon. Junmyeon makes unfunny dad jokes for a living outside work hours but he gives useful advice once in a while. He's cautious, which means he'll likely provide Sehun with a book about exorcism should Sehun decide to break in. He's not going to sit there and laugh like Chanyeol. But Junmyeon has been stuck at the hospital since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. With the number of infected cases spiraled out of control, they need all doctors on the frontlines. It's a battle out there.

Right. Junmyeon is carrying an immense burden to care for patients. There's no reason to bother him in those uncertain times. Sehun can solve the mystery that is Jongin on his own.

"Do you believe that your father is still somewhere in that room?"

Sehun is staring at the rusty door across Jongin's room. It's hard to imagine someone sweet and excellent at giving head like Jongin hiding dead bodies behind that non-threatening door. Besides, what kind of horrible human being would turn a place full of memories into a crime scene? Definitely not Jongin. Soft, adorable Jongin who sacrifices Boys Over Flower rerun on SBS to make strawberry milk from scratch for Sehun. Multitalented, humble Jongin who bolts out of his house at midnight to help Mrs Shim's dog deliver puppies. Hot, charming Jongin who welcomes Sehun into him with needy whimpers and shattered breaths. Disciplined, model citizen Jongin who always stops at red light despite the empty street.

Jongin shoots him a strange look in lieu of a response.

"You're not the enemy," Sehun tries to mimic Edogawa Conan's voice whenever he figures out that his newly discovered lead in the Black Organization is indeed an ally, which is always. "Whatever you're not telling me, I believe you have the best intentions at heart for doing so," he slurs. "I can help you."

"You shouldn't drink too many beers in such a short amount of time," Jongin grumbles. He shifts to let Sehun lean on his shoulders.

Sehun buries his face in the crook of Jongin's neck. Jongin smells like he just gets back from from a hike through the Rockies, a fresh, woody scent from his natural soap bar. Sehun wants to cry. "Can you pretend we never have this conversation and fucking tell me why you are lying to me? I don't care about what you are hiding anymore. Just the _why_. You're this precious little cutie pie that I want to keep forever but I can't if you don't tell me the reason you keep the truth from me. Honesty is the best policy in my relationship. Please, tell me, _please_."

When Jongin doesn't answer, Sehun pulls back to find Jongin looking at him, uncertainty clouding his gorgeous eyes. He gives Sehun a sad smile. "I'm sorry."

"Please come clean with me," Sehun pleads. "I know a guy who knows a very powerful politician. He can pull some strings to. Uhm." Sehun hopes his ancestors forgive him for breaking the ethics code. He's about to offer a potential criminal his aid. "To help cover a crime. Make it disappear. _Boom!_ and done. But you have to give me the truth."

Jongin has the decency to look offended. "Sehun, I'm not a killer," he emphasizes each word with strong hand gestures. "Can we drop this? I don't want to know your underground background story. I'm not sober enough for that."

"A guy" is actually Sehun's dad and the powerful politician is his dad's cousin. His uncle. Who mostly operates on the ground with his 9 to 5 job but anyone close to him knows his real working time starts after 5 PM. Jongin is right. Sehun himself doesn't want to know his family connections either, but he can't escape Christmas and New Year gatherings no matter how hard he tries.

Jongin climbs over empty beer cans and onto Sehun's lap. "I promise I'm not a criminal," he cups Sehun's face in his palms. "I will tell you everything when the right time comes."

"I'll wait for you," Sehun blurts out. Jongin's gloomy expression morphs into a big, cheerful smile and Sehun thinks he'd have no problem even if Jongin is a killer on the run.

In his dream, he sees Jongin walking away from him to take a phone call. The rusty door cracks open, and Jongin's lithe figure slides through the narrow gap into the sacred room.

Sehun doesn't mind, not when he wakes up to Jongin spooning him. His silky hair tickles the back of Sehun's neck. The rusty door remains closed. Sehun lets out a delighted yawn. He can certainly handle a few weird, Jongin-centered dreams.

☁

On the twelfth day of quarantine, Sehun has memorized all the lines from every episode of his favorite TV series and gained a total of 20 millions followers on TikTok. He can make a perfect super fluffy souffle omelette. He washes his hands like a pro, and he does laundry every day as if it were his sole purpose in life. On top of that, his sexual adventures are fulfilling.

They are on Sehun's bed watching a dating show on Netflix called _Too Hot To Handle_. It's outrageous to the point that it becomes good because it's just so bad. What's more terrible than watching a show of sexy, single people ready to mingle but not allowed to fuck during the time of social distancing? Jongin says it's the reality drama among the male contestants.

"There's no way we'd make it to the end if we were on the show," Jongin giggles. "I'd kiss you before they break the news that I can't do so."

Sehun melts into a puddle of feels. He slides to Jongin's side and snuggles against him.

"The lockdown at my mother's apartment complex will be over in two days," Sehun says. "I'm going back there."

Jongin's face falls. "Oh."

"Come back with me," Sehun reaches for Jongin's hand and laces their fingers together. They both smell like Sehun's green tea hand sanitizer. "Your apartment should be cleared soon, but if you're concerned about safety, you're welcome to stay with me. We have a spare bedroom. And a vacant unit in the same block, if you want."

Jongin recoils. "I can't," he shakes his head unceremoniously. "I want to, Sehun, but I can't. Not now."

Sehun stares at him.

Jongin rolls away from him until he's at the edge of the bed. He pulls the blanket over his head. "I'm sorry. If you want to leave, I understand. Please do as you want. But I'm not watching you leave."

"This is my house?"

"That, I forgot," Jongin mumbles as he sticks his head out from under the blanket a few seconds later. "Can you turn your head away? I promise I'll be quick."

Sehun sighs. "You can stay. I told you I'd wait for you. You don't need to say anything if you're not ready."

"Really?" Jongin asks, hesistant. Sehun nods, extending his hand to Jongin. "Yes, but you need to hurry up. I'm not going to wait forever."

"I know, I know," Jongin beams. "I'm working on it."

☁

On the last day of quarantine, Sehun comes to a conclusion.

"I think he's a prostitute," Sehun says in his serious professional voice, the one reserved for sports conference interviews. "He's trying to quit but his clients and his pimp don't allow him."

Chanyeol spurts coffee out of his nose. Savage. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"He receives phone calls at night, he makes pretty good cash and all these talks about giving him more time so he can settle things," Sehun is The Fanfiction Expert thanks to years of joining TV show fandoms. This trope is no stranger to him. "My theory is that he loves me too and he wants to start his life over but it's difficult in his line of work. Nobody wants to lose their valuable toys. Maybe they threaten him. Someone as stunning as Jongin couldn't be an ordinary brothel sex worker. He must be seeing the high profile clients," Sehun grits his teeth. "People like CEOs or my uncle, who have a lot of secrets."

"If it's the case, can't you buy him?" That sounds wrong, but Chanyeol can be blunt. He just chooses to be romantic most of the times. "If Jongin is a high-end escort like you deduce, the price may escalate. Money is not a problem for you though."

"Yeah, I don't mind paying. But the world of high-end escorts is complicated. It's not always about the money."

"Let's hope it isn't true," Chanyeol exhales. "You should keep an eye on him. If someone pays him a visit, you follow that lead and then you can figure out who's the one you should call to negotiate."

"Isn't it sad?" Sehun leans back against his chair. "I always think that I'd meet the love of my life in a cozy coffee shop. We'd both be eyeing the last slice of avocado cheesecake and then we bond over why sushi is the best dish to ever grace earth. He'd be someone with this badass, super cool, anime senpai vibe and that meet-cute between us would start with a very cheesy pick-up line. But now I'm left with an unsolved case of childhood friend reunion and high-end prostitution business."

"But you still want it."

"I still want it," Sehun echoes. He thinks of those soccer games ten years ago, the taste of strawberry ice cream, which was too sweet for Sehun's liking but he ate it all because the expectant look in Jongin's eyes was worth it, the rainy nights staying over at Jongin's house and drinking his sister's hot cocoa. "I like honesty, but I like a chance with him more."

☁

Jongin stays after lunch to help Sehun pack. There's not much to pack, but Jongin insists on doing laundry and Sehun isn't going to pass any chance to spend more time with Jongin. While Jongin is sorting through his laundry heap, Sehun ponders on calling his uncle. He doesn't know how to start the conversation. _"Hi uncle, it's the nephew who never sends you a birthday card but I have a favor to ask, can you give me a detailed list of your colleagues and their sugar babies?"_

"Do you have any plans when you return to the city?"

"Just stay home with my mother and TikTok," Sehun says. _Everyone should not go out unless in case of necessities_ , Sehun hears this on the news at least three times a day. "Oh, I'll be joining a few virtual benefit concerts. I don't like making appearances on media, but this time it's for a good cause."

"Sounds great."

"Where does you sister live in Seoul? I'm going to stop by and say hi."

"Hahahaha please no," Jongin wheezes. "She's weird. Don't."

"Jongin, I knew her. I've been too busy to stay in touch with her but I'm sure she's not weird."

"She's busy!" Jongin says too quickly. "Yeah. Busy. She's with her husband's family in Jeju."

"Well, give me her number so I can come visit when she's back," Sehun fishes out his phone from his back pocket.

Jongin pales. "Can it wait?"

"Why? It's a phone number. It won't take you longer than five seconds—"

"I have something to give you!" Jongin yells. "I'm having a moment. We're not going to let my sister's number ruin it."

Sehun blinks at a pair of fluffy socks that Jongin thrusts into his hands. The brown Rilakkuma print is looking back at him. "You have cold feet when you sleep with 18 degree AC," Jongin chews his lip thoughtfully. "Those will keep you warm."

Sehun certainly isn't tearing up. He's a big man. "Are we doing a gift exchange?"

"Are you crying?"

"Nope," Sehun wipes his eyes furiously. "God, I don't want to leave. Can I stay here until you're done with whatever you're doing and we can drive back to my favorite fried chicken restaurant in Myeongdong to celebrate the end of self-quarantine?"

"Your mom is waiting for you," Jongin smiles and pulls Sehun into a hug. He runs his palm up and down Sehun's side, voice mellow as he whispers into Sehun's ears. "Come on, golden boy, I'll call you first thing when I'm done."

Sehun is so close to laying down all his bank accounts and credit cards on the table and telling Jongin to pick a payment method and give him his pimp's contact so he can go bury the guy under a mountain of cash and then take Jongin to his favorite fried chicken restaurant. Sehun hates goodbye. Ten years ago he begged his brother to take the 10 AM bus when Jongin was in class so he didn't have to say _I'm leaving_ face-to-face.

"For the record, you still look pretty when you cry," Jongin flicks his tongue over Sehun's Adam's apple and kisses the hollow at the base of his throat. He bites softly at his shoulder before moving his lips down to Sehun's pecs. Sehun claws at Jongin's back, rumbles in approval when Jongin licks one of his nipples, slow and gentle, then he scoots further down Sehun's body until he reaches between his thighs.

Sehun's nails dig deep into Jongin's skin. He wants Jongin in ways he'd never imagined wanting any person.

"You know you're allowed to use your hands in this game."

The corner of Jongin's mouth quirks up. "I don't want to," he says. "Sportsmanship should be about fair play."

Maybe this is nothing similar to his fantasy about meeting his soul mate, but the smile Jongin gives him burns into his mind and while Sehun has never been interested in soccer, he thinks he'll never let anyone else score this goal.

☁

When the driver arrives at his doorstep, Sehun realizes he's forgotten to tell Jongin he likes him too.

He's never said it before. He wants to save for the right moment, when there's no more lie between them. Sehun enjoys taking things slow in a serious, committed relationship. He'd court Jongin properly once Jongin tells him everything he's been keeping in the dark. But something about not seeing Jongin in the next few weeks (and possibly more, since he has no idea how much longer Jongin will need) urges him to just say it. Maybe not the full confession, just a teaser to let Jongin know what's in store for him so he's not falling back into the arms of some loaded stinky old man. Sehun is virtuous, rich, young and handsome and that's all Jongin needs.

He glances at his watch. It's 10.30 PM. If he immediately gets to Jongin's and says it in one breath like a brave man that he is, he can still make it back to his mother's apartment at midnight to celebrate the end of building lockdown with her. The area is dead silent at night. Sehun tells his driver to wait at the pavement across the street and starts walking towards Jongin's huge yard gate. There's a faint light coming from the living room. Jongin leaves his main door open. For what? Sehun isn't sure, but he has a bad feeling about this.

He quietly steps closer and his heart stops beating in his chest when he sees a tall figure lurking behind the orange tree right outside the kitchen window. Sehun's Spiderman senses are tingling. He should call 119, just in case. He can manhandle one person, but not if the person is armed or worse, there are more lurking around. Sehun sighs. As far as danger goes, this is also the best chance he'd ever get.

He sneaks behind the figure, taps him on the shoulder and doesn't allow him any chance to react before he jumps right into business.

"How much do you guys want? Give me a number."

The man, who is a few inches shorter than Sehun, turns around abruptly.

"I'm not here to call the police on you. I only want to negotiate," Sehun says. "I know no one wants to lose their....companion," he settles with a better choice of word than the commonly used _boy toy_. "But I really like this guy. Whatever you guys want from Jongin, I'm sure you can find from someone else. I'd be happy to pay all the costs."

Silence.

"Dude, say something. How much do you charge for your commission rate? Take me to your boss or give me their contact and it's a deal."

Sehun waits impatiently as the guy keeps staring. Is it possible that he wants something entirely different, like unicorn tears or the president being assassinated? Sehun scoffs at his idiocy, this is not X-Men universe. Maybe Sehun needs to give him some space. He's in the middle of stepping back when Jongin's resounding scream pierces through his ears. And Jongin is screaming his name, a clear _"Sehun"_ followed by at least ten exclamation marks.

Sehun is distracted, but not too distracted to not notice Mysterious Bad Guy lunging at Jongin — cute, squishy Jongin in PJ who's on his way to take out the trash — with a knife. Sehun moves on instinct, pushing Jongin to the side with one leg and leaning back slightly to dodge the blow. He delivers a smooth side nap kick to the attacker while grasping the knife-holding hand, twisting his wrist hard until he hears a loud pop. The knife falls to the ground and Sehun lets out a breath he's been holding. "Can we talk—"

He's interrupted with a punch to his face and Sehun grimaces as he tastes blood on his busted lips. He hopes it's not going to bruise. The attacker spins away and runs off in the direction of the gate. Sehun glances over his shoulder to see Jongin still stuck under three giant trash bags. He blinks. _Jongin_. He can't afford to leave his business unfinished.

So he chases after Mysterious Bad Guy.

It's a fucking long chase. Sehun mentally thanks his coach for the strength training excercises. He finally catches up with the guy after bursting through a closed door of a riverside restaurant and getting spiderweb all over his precious hair. They're reaching a dead end on a dock.

"Just listen to me, damn it!" Sehun groans, frustrated. "I'll make it short. I want Jongin. Whatever you guys think you can earn from Jongin, I'll give double. Triple. For his freedom, I'll pay anything."

The guy slides him a dirty look. "I don't know what game you're playing but it ain't work on me."

"Okay, asshat, my mother is going to strangle me if I'm late, which I already am because you drag me into this stupid cat-and-mouse game. Tell me where the fuck I can find your boss. I promise I won't rat you out."

He hears siren from the outside. Mysterious Bad Guy's eyes widen comically. The sound of stampeding footsteps becomes clearer. Closer. The guy swallows audibly, and then he jumps into the river.

Sehun curses. Is it always this hard to get a deal? How do the sale reps deal with this on a daily basis? "Wait!" he yells and dives into the water.

He catches the stubborn guy seconds before he could reach the north bank and cover himself with rocks. This is not how Sehun plans to reveal himself as Guardian Of The Wind, Olympic medalist and world record holder, but when Mysterious Stupid Bad Guy shouts at his face in disbelief, he has no choice.

"You mess with the wrong person," Sehun scoffs and holds him by the throat. "Before I turn you to the police," he sighs, jerking his head towards a couple of officers standing on the deck. They're yelling, Sehun can't hear because they're far away and the water is freezing. "Can you please tell me how can I buy Jongin?"

"Who the fuck is this Jongin you keep rambling about?"

"What?" Sehun asks. The guy, who clearly has no concept of his own limit, tries to squirm free of Sehun's grasp and Sehun decides he's lost all his patience after a useless high-speed chase, so he promptly knocks the stupid asshole out with a jab he learnt from Chanyeol. He reluctantly pulls the unconscious guy out of water. A police car screeches to a halt and soon an officer brings Sehun a dry towel.

"I can do it," he says when the officer has to tip-toe in order to reach his shoulders. "Oh fuck. Where's Jongin? Is he okay?"

He's so immersed in this fruitless chase that he forgets about Jongin, who is the main target of the attack. "This fucker tried to stab him," Sehun grabs the officer's arm. "Is there any officer staying with him at the moment? He's 5'11", has honey brown hair and a really cute smile—"

He stops when someone crashes onto his back and a pair of familiar arms embrace him in a tight hug. Sehun tries to turn around but Jongin doesn't let him.

"You're fucking impossible," Jongin murmurs against his neck. "You fucking apprehend him in the water."

"I'm sorry," Sehun says. This may as well be a good time to squeeze the truth out of Jongin. He's gone through so much trouble, the least Jongin can give him is the piece of information he wants. But there's one thing he needs to get out first. "Jongin, you know I like you."

Jongin tenses behind him. Sehun watches as two officers drag a handcuffed Mysterious Stupid Bad Guy away on a stretcher. "Just tell me who they are and how much they want. Please."

"Who how what?"

"Your pimp! Your clients!" Sehun breaks out of Jongin's hold and turns around to grab Jongin by his shoulders. "If they send someone over to hurt you then they're no ordinary men but I don't care, Jongin. I like you no matter what. I want to be with you. Whatever they want in return for your freedom, I'll give them."

Jongin should be touched, considering that Sehun has just made a confession while looking like a wreck in the most unexpected place at the most unexpected time. Jongin shouldn't be laughing like a maniac. What's so funny about someone getting punched and wet (literally) for you?

"Kim Jongin!" Sehun growls, at the same time another officer steps towards them and bows, "Inspector."

Sehun's jaw drops to the ground. "What the fuck?"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not a high-class prostitute," Jongin laughs, and reaches into the front pocket of his PJ top. He frowns. "Urgh, I forgot it at home."

Sehun feels dizzy. "Forgot what?"

"My police badge," Jongin says casually, like he isn't dropping a bomb into Sehun's life at this exact moment and blows away his entire existence.

"Why the fuck do you have a police badge? Are you into impersonation?"

"He's the real deal," the brunette officer who's been watching them chimes in eagerly. "Inspector Kim from the KNPA's Narcotics Division."

"Told you, I'm not a criminal," Jongin tilts his head to press a chaste kiss on Sehun's cold, busted lips. "I hunt criminals. The guy you just knocked out is a suspect in a rape and drug case we've been following."

"Are you sure he's not some minion of a high-ranking pimp?"

"Why are you so invested in this theory about me being a prostitute?" Jongin raises his brow. "I'm only a slut for you."

Sehun claps a hand over Jongin's mouth. "Oh my god stop," he snaps, feeling embarassed but oddly proud simultaneously.

"I come back to the neighborhood to watch this guy. During our raid a while ago, we caught everyone in his gang except him. He was in Bangkok at that time, and we suspected that he has connections with international drug dealers. The supply has to come from somewhere. But he's a tough nut. He's been laying low since he came back and we had nothing to bring him in. He rented out apartments in high security buildings so it was hard to follow him. When the outbreak happens, he's forced to move into a studio next to the grocery store downtown. I've been able to gather a few pieces of evidence on my grocery shopping trips," Jongin explains, looking relieved that he's finally able to get it out. "But nothing essential enough to get a warrant. He probably smelled something, that's why he planned to break into my house to destroy the evidence and me," he smiles at Sehun, his signature soft, blinding smile that makes Sehun go bow chicka wow wow. "You _save_ me. Thank you."

"So," Sehun croaks, "no special lock and no secret code for siblings?"

"No, that room is my stakeout," Jongin says. "But my father did leave a code. My sisters and I cracked it on the first anniversary of his death because we were bored. It was a treasure hunting map that led to the attic and we found twenty mixtapes he made for us for each milestone in our lives. First job, wedding, child birth. All these stuff. The mixtape for my wedding is terrific. Do you want to listen—"

"Jongin," Sehun interrupts his ramblings. The rising moon shines on the river, and Sehun looks at the reflection of silver light on the surface of rippling waves, then at Jongin, whose gaze on him is full of affection and sincerity.

Sehun is not going to meet the love of his life in a coffee shop, and that's okay. "That's it?" he says. "That's everything you want to tell me?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner. I couldn't risk blowing my cover. The suspect was being cautious," Jongin says, sounding a little nervous. "I also didn't want to put you in danger. I wanted to protect you, but I didn't think it'd turn out to be the other way around. That fucker is going away for attempted burglary and attempted murder. We're safe. I'll tell you everything now. Please don't be mad."

That's okay, because a setting no longer matters when you finds the one you want. "Will you go to my favorite fried chicken restaurant with me when we're back in the city?"

Jongin squeezes his hand. "Yes," he beams. "Yes, I will."

☁

"Dude, your boyfriend is Inspector Kim? _The_ Inspector Kim?"

Sehun pouts at the excitement in Chanyeol's voice. "Why do I feel like everyone knows about him except me?"

"He's a sensation, that's why," Chanyeol draws out the _s_. "Do you know the drug scandals involved chaebol scions and K-pop stars last year? He went undercover for two years as a night club performer. He never showed his face but the videos of him dancing resurfaced after the bust and the crowd went crazy. He's a dance machine. I've never seen someone with such a charismatic stage presence. He has a fanclub on Twitter. You should join and give them an anonymous fan account about how your dick dances in his ass."

"Sehun Jr. is a dancing king," Sehun says. Jongin would agree. "Damn, I miss Jongin."

It's been two weeks since the revelation and it's exactly how long Sehun's gone without seeing Jongin. Jongin has to come back to the KNPA headquarters and continue the investigation with his team. Sehun has been spending time with his family, mostly watching K-dramas with his mother and occasionally having explicit phone sex with Jongin. He starts to get antsy, but he doesn't want to come off as clingy, so he tells Jongin to take as much time as needed and then walks around his mother's apartment sulking until she kicks him out to _'go moping somewhere else I don't need any negative energy in this house when my favorite character's life is at risk'._

He decides to go for a walk. It's a rare sight to see the busy city so eeriely quiet. There are only a few people on normally teeming sidewalks, all wearing masks and keeping a distance from each other. The usually crowded malls sit silent as the sun sets on a mostly empty downtown area. A couple months ago, social distancing and lockdown are not even part of the lexicon and now it's become a new way of life. Sehun thinks about moments that are often taken for granted, like petting random puppies on the street and eating at a street vendor with a friend. Jongin used to tell him that life has no replay button, so one will never get the same moment twice.

It'd sounded like a line straight out of a self-help book back then, except their conversation happened before an important match with the high schoolers in town. Sehun'd been nervous because he was in the starting lineup after The Kid Who Tripped Jongin was grounded by his parents. It'd be his last game before moving away, and Jongin told him that if Sehun scored, he'd let Sehun in a secret that he'd been keeping. Sehun _knew_ what it was, because Jongin could never hold eye contact with someone he had a crush on, and because his gaze dropped down to Sehun's lips out of all places. Sehun, the self-proclaimed Residential Straight Boy, was not stupid. But he was young and inexperienced, so when he stood in front of the ball in the final minute of the match for a penalty kick and felt Jongin's hopeful eyes bored into his back, he thought about how he'd always chosen friendship over love.

He never scored. The ball went upright and with that, the match ended in a tie.

But ten years later, they meet again. Everything has changed, yet it feels like nothing has changed when Jongin looks at him, a pink blush dusted across his cheek and his eyes sparkle.

Ten years is a very long time.

Sehun stops in his tracks, feeling swamped by the tide of emotions washing over him. It is then he realizes he's standing next to a vending machine. He eyes the last bottle of Starbucks iced latte on the shelf, and digs through his hoodie for some quarters. Five coins fall out of his pocket and start rolling away. Sehun groans. What's with his penchant for chasing after stuff lately?

The coins roll down the pavewalk until they strike a cardboard box. Sehun picks them up and jogs back to the vending machine when his phone rings.

"Your ass looks great in these jeans," is the first thing Jongin says.

"What?" Sehun replies, but words stuck in his throat when he sees Jongin leaning against the vending machine in his police uniform, looking badass and senpai-ish and Qualified Wet Dream Material. He grins and throws Sehun the iced latte bottle. Sehun catches it with jittery hands because well, this is the closest to the coffee shop fantasy he'll ever experience.

"The suspect finally gave us the information about those international drug dealers yesterday," Jongin says. "We're going to cut the head off the snake very soon."

Sehun swallows the disappointment crawling up his throat. "I guess you'll be very busy."

"That's true, but first I want to finish something I started a long time ago," Jongin smiles. "Come with me?"

☁

Sehun blinks as Jongin rolls up his sleeves, a portable goal net standing behind him. They are at a playground nearby. An old lady on the bench is watching them curiously.

"I still haven't told you everything," Jongin says. "There's something I'd wanted to tell you since middle school, but we never had the chance to get to it."

Sehun briefly thinks about all the time they had missed, then all the time they could have from now on. In the distance, someone plays a love song way too loud from their balcony.

"If I score, would you tell me?"

"In a heartbeat," Jongin smiles, and this time, Sehun delivers his best kick.

☁

[GQ Magazine, May issue]

_Q: Sehun-ssi, what's your favorite quote these days?_

_A: "Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."_

**Author's Note:**

> (*) KNPA is the Korean National Police Agency. Currently, the drug control team is under Criminal Affairs Department, but there's a proposal for a separate drug control unit under KNPA.  
> (*) Sehun and Jongin are both 25 years old in this fic.  
> -
> 
> I wanted to write a quarantine!au 'we have dates from our own balcony' and got sidetracked. What's new? ;_;  
> Anyway, hope everyone's staying safe during this outbreak (: 
> 
> [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/forsekais)


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